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It’s not uncommon for established companies to lose touch with
the do-or-die, innovate-or-else mentality of their early days.
But this transition from startup mentality to corporate mindset,
can sometimes be detrimental to a company's strategy.

Back in 1984 the telecom company Dialogic was somewhat of a pioneer -- a
young, fledgling organization with big dreams and even bigger
drive. I wasn’t around in those days, but I’ve heard the
stories: epic all-nighters, think-on-your-feet presentations,
being scrappy -- you know the drill. But as the years went on,
Dialogic found itself in a predicament. After three decades,
the company had established a reliable customer base,
market-proven products and a large, productive workforce. The
problem? We were struggling to maintain growth.

If your brand feels a bit stale lately, it may be time to get
back in touch with your startup roots.

Start by asking yourself these questions:

1. Make it a goal to fail. Yes, you heard me
right. Too often, established companies rely on the safe choice
-- rewarding employees who stick to the status quo rather than
those who challenge it. Be brave and consider taking risks.
Inviting teams to experiment with new ideas and processes often
leads to failure-- and that’s a good thing. The lessons learned
from those failures illuminate new ideas and can ultimately drive
your teams to create the next big thing.

And don’t just fail -- fail fast. While established companies
often pour thousands of dollars and human capital into big
projects that ultimately go nowhere, startups fail multiple times
per day thanks to a greater sense of urgency, limited financial
capital and meticulous measurement. Reinstating a fail-fast
approach means taking risks and pivoting quickly when things
don’t work out as planned.

2. Get "startup" people on board. When it comes
to rebuilding a vibrant company culture, keep an eye out for
candidates that possess an entrepreneurial spirit. Look for
employees who demonstrate initiative over their projects, and
approach them with enthusiasm, curiosity and the drive to
improve. Building a team of energetic risk takers will help you
recreate a culture that values innovation and creativity over
simply getting the job done.

As you reconnect with your roots, also consider bringing on
startup veterans who want the culture of an early-stage company
with the reliability of an established brand. These folks can be
trailblazers within your company, leading fellow employees
through the transition and encouraging them to think outside the
box.

3. Fight for your customers. As an established
company, you’re likely to have a reliable customer base, one you
spent years building. Startups don’t have that. With no
guaranteed revenue stream, startups fight fiercely for new
customers and hold on tight to their existing ones. In other
words: Watch out, the startups are coming.

But don’t worry. As you get back in touch with your inner
startup, you can bring your customers along for the ride. Remind
them how much you value their loyalty, and ask them how you can
do better. When customers feel like you’re fighting for them,
they’ll be much more likely to stick around and sing your
praises.

4. Circle back to your mission. As an
established company, you have a big advantage over the Tumblrs
and Ubers of the world: history. By examining your evolution, you
can reconnect with the big ideas, products and campaigns that
lead to your success in the first place. This exercise is not
about rejecting where you came from, and it’s not about repeating
your history, either. It’s about gleaning insights from the past
to rediscover who you can be in the future.